Uni scavenger hunt 'offensive, sexist'

By David Rood

10 November 2005 — 11:00am

University scavenger hunts often challenge taste, common sense and the law. Peak-hour traffic has been stopped, flesh flashed and in 1997 Monash students kidnapped Sale of the Century's then host Glenn Ridge.

But a Melbourne University event may have pushed things too far. A Prosh Week scavenger hunt has been labelled sexist and discriminatory after participants were asked to simulate sex acts, dress as Adolf Hitler and find a photograph of a Down syndrome boy band. It also asked teams to photograph a garden gnome with child pornography, as well as locate midget, fat or amputee pornography and "a pot glass full of semen — bonus if drunk".

The university's Interim Student Representative Council queer officer Tracey Boyd said the hunt used offensive and discriminatory behaviour disguised as humour.

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"Melbourne University is so incredibly diverse yet Scav Hunt, despite being advertised to be for all students, clearly wasn't," Ms Boyd said. "It was only available to those who were Caucasian, fully abled, male and heterosexual or those tolerating of discriminatory attitudes."

Student council chairman Paul Donegan, said the scavenger hunt was regrettable and reprehensible: "Some of the things that went on were straight-out sexist, racist and offensive."

Mr Donegan said the six judges — from last year's winning teams — changed a list of tasks endorsed by the student council's activities officer. He said the student council was working with the university's equity unit to develop sexual harassment training for event organisers and would ensure closer scrutiny of the event.

■ Melbourne University has tied for first place in a new Australian ranking of the nation's universities, sharing top billing with the Australian National University for the second year running in the Melbourne Institute index of institutions.

Monash University was the second-placed Victorian institution, at number seven, followed by LaTrobe at nine.